Justin Trevino

Travelin' Singin' Man

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(Lone Star Records) At the ripe old age of 27, Justin Trevino has spent more than half his life playing country music. Born in Brownsville, and raised in Austin, Justin cut his teeth on some of country music's finest artists, thanks to his Dad, an avid country music fan and record collector, and to his parents taking him along to the honky tonks when he was just a kid. He grew up on the likes of Ernest Tubb, Johnny Cash, Brenda Lee and Hank Snow- or as Justin would say, he was exposed to everything from an early age.

 

Blind since birth, that never posed a handicap to Justin, who was educated in the public school system. He got his first guitar at the age of seven, and started taking lessons. As he was learning the chords however, he realized the only way he could practice them was by singing them. >From there he realized singing was a focal point, and started really listening to artists like Ray Price and Johnny Bush.

 

By the time Justin was thirteen, his father began persuading local club owners to let Justin perform. By his freshman year of high school, he had his own band, and was playing clubs and honky tonks regularly around the Austin area.

 

Justin caught the attention of Don Walser and Cornell Hurd, who took him under their wing and mentored him. Not long afterward, Justin got the opportunity, not only to meet his idol Johnny Bush, but to play with him. Johnny was duly impressed with Justin, and from that point on, Johnny became friend and mentor to Justin.

 

By the time Justin graduated from high school, he was already feeling the limitations of the weekend bar circuit, and as he'd also learned to play the bass, began hiring himself out, playing for Don Walser, Cornell Hurd, Johnny Bush, Hank Thompson, Kitty Wells, Floyd Tillman, Wanda Jackson and Leona Williams to name a few, building some pretty impressive credentials along the way.

 

Justin began recording his own songs in his home studio, working with Johnny Bush, fiddle player Howard Kalish and steel guitarist Scott Walls. The result was Justin's first album "Texas Honky Tonk" on his own Neon Nightmare Records label. His second album, "Loud Music and Strong Wine", was recorded with members of the Pure Texas Band and The Bandeleros, and also included legendary steel guitarist Jimmy Day.

 

"Travelin' Singin' Man" finds Justin on the larger Lone Star label, and he is now able to reach a larger audience. How to describe this CD? The first commandment of country music: Keep It Real.

 

Justin does a fine job of living up to that commandment here. Justin possesses a big, strong and clear tenor voice, that powerfully delivers a song. Add in some classic style, 100 proof, honky tonk songs- and you've got the authentic real deal here.

 

"Travelin' Singin' Man", co-produced by Justin and Johnny Bush, who also obliges on a pair of duets with Justin, covers songs by Mel Tillis (Alright I'll Sign The Papers), Justin Tubb (Travelin' Singin' Man), Johnny Bush (Where Were You), and Fred Rose (Waltz Of The Wind), among others. This CD delivers directly to your player, some good old fashioned honky tonk heartbreak and the sound of boots hittin' the Texas dancehall floors.

 

When Justin isn't out playing on his own, he can still be found playing along side his mentors- Don Walser, Cornell Hurd and Johnny Bush. With friends like those in your corner, Justin and that great big tenor voice of his, are bound to be going some place big.

AnnMarie Harrington Take Country Back May 2002